A manhole cover provides a protective covering for an opening into a sewer, a conduit, an underground tunnel or the like. The cover functions to keep trespassers and/or vandals out, to prevent the contents of a sewer or tunnel from exiting the opening, to provide a surface over which vehicles may drive and the like. Manhole covers presently known in the art are generally formed from a heavy steel or metal, which makes them not only difficult to move or transport, but also dangerous, as injuries have occurred in those working with the heavy manhole covers. Moreover, manhole covers formed from steel are not transparent to radio frequency signals. Consequently, wireless meter reading through steel manhole covers is not practical.